Jesus continues through the quintessential week, teaching some of his toughest messages, promising an eternal hope, but warning against the temptations that can come.The people are starting to connect some dots.  They hear him teach that he will go away and the people start to wonder:  why is the King going away...this is his time to assume power?  Read John 16:5-16 Jesus teaches about what will happen beyond his life.  He knows that he cannot dwell among us forever in the ...

What happens to people?  One minute we declare love for God, align our thoughts and actions around Him, and promise our selves that He is our King.  So quickly after that, we miss the mark, overestimate our ability, and neglect the very relationship that had our devotion.  This is true today (and true for me) and it was true in that first Holy Week.  Jesus came into town heralded, but did not deviate from a message of hope and life.  But it was different than people'...

They shouted "Hosanna" declaring him to be King, the long-awaited savior of an oppressed people.   They realigned their lives, their time and they stood up to a Roman regime that had their own ideas of who was in charge.  The people declared to the religious leaders in this holy city that a new day was dawning.  That was yesterday. Today begins the narrative of change.  A people, so taken with their idea of Messiah, that when the Real Thing teaches in their midst, ...